Thursday 24 May 2007

Have we gone completely bonkers?


After canine manicure, canine hairdressers, hotels for dogs, birthday parties for dogs, swimming pools for dogs, dog marriages, dog fashion shows, we now have yoga for dogs. In America where this practice first started it is called “ruff yoga” or “doga”. It is immensely popular and some gyms in the UK offer this new form of “working out”. It has not reached our Belgian shores yet but maybe there is a business opportunity here for me or for anybody who can talk to animals, who can stroke them, who can speak gently to them and who can get them to adopt postures which come naturally to them anyway.
From what I read dogs respond very positively to the gentle energy in the room where these classes are taking place. A yoga expert says: “It’s a healing thing.” What does this mean please? I gather, it is more a way of making sure that dogs are not left out of their owners’ quest for physical enlightenment. It is a new way to spend time with your favourite pet. Chilling out with your companion. Experts say we have to look at our dogs closely and say to ourselves that when they are playing with a ball or happily leaping after a Frisbee or trotting along beside us on a country lane, they are in fact angst-ridden, tense and extremely stressed. Have we gone completely mad?
My advice: if you want to spend quality time with your dog, take it to dog training classes.

7 comments:

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I agree. If you really love your dog, you are sharing as many of your activities as possible with him/her anyway.

Anonymous said...

Gosh, this is a real eye opener. I've never heard of dog marriages and swimming pools for dogs, let alone yoga. Why can't dogs just be dogs and just enjoy time with their owner. Next thing we know they will have their own shrinks!

Unknown said...

Well ellee hold on to your hat because dogs (and cats) do have their own shrinks. Here in the U.S. people have been taking their dogs to therapy for quite sometime. There are also "readers" who claim they can read the animals minds and get information about the animals past lives. My favorite vet told me he had to stop teaching his classes on animal care because some of his students brought in their cats and claimed they could 'channel' the spirits of deceased people. I remember having a good chuckle with him over that one. I think dogs really prefer long walks so I guess that makes and eccentric. Best regards, VioletsVintage

Anonymous said...

Ruff yoga. Sounds like another scheme to make a few bucks off of dog lovers.

jmb said...

Well I suppose it's better than dressing them up or teaching them to dance which is a mighty strange thing to my mind.
Do you have flyball and obstacle course stuff in Belgium Eurodog. There is a combined event at the Canadian National Exhibition every year which they televise. It's a dog doing an obstacle course partnered with a horse and rider in a jumping event. The best combined time wins. It looks like such a fun thing for the dogs. Ideal for border collies who excel at it, but there are even some small dogs compete too.
regards
jmb

Anonymous said...

"Have we gone completely bonkers ??..." did you only just notice??!
I mean I was watching Doggie Dancing on television the other day ... I mean WHAT is that? Very entertaining and I'm sure great fun to do with your "pooch" as the Americans call them (how I loathe that word!!)
What an unusual blog you have here. I stumbled upon you vaguely via your Italian friend Welshcakes (why on earth is she called THAT?? The world is full of mysteries ...)
Oh well... If you'd like to drop by my place you're most welcome to! I'm at http://gledwood2.blogspot.com
See you later perhaps -
All the best
from
Gledwood "Vol 2" ...

Eurodog said...

I can understand you do not like Dog Dancing but it is quite a difficult discipline and dogs tend to love it. The owner has to have acquired quite a high level of obedience. It is not just a question of moving to music. Some of our members at the dog club do dog dancing.